Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-10-27
pRuNKsu cAssigs Or LONDON.
How a Lady journalist Was Frightened
Almost to Death-Reckless Driving.

How "A Lady Journalist Was Frightened
Almost to Death-Reckless Driving.
Now that the season is over, the cabbies
are taken TO getting drunk. They have
not much else 10 do, for one thing, and
they make little money that | suppose
they think will go farther in malt than in
meat. At any rate, two Of them. in diff
ferent stages of intoxication. have fallen
10 my lot lately, and with the first one
my life had nearly ended in a tragedy.
Twas going to little dinner in Pail
Mall the other night, and / asked for
plebeian "grow!er," as l feared the
draught in hanson. 1t is short shil-
ling fare from Langham street to Pail
Mall, and to save the trouble Of paying
when got there, l handed my man q
shilling He said: "It's eighteen pence
to Pail Mall, and shant go for no shil-
ling" Please give him sixpence. /
said, weakly, to my pretty landlady, who
was standing by. "lt'S only shilling,
she demonstrated. Il know that, but
never mind. let him have his way" |
fancied that thereby | should earn the
good will Of my charioteer; but never was
/ more mistaken.
He mounted his box and drove off in
mad but purI,oselesS manner. turning in
Vulnerable corners. and seemingly be-
wildering himself more and more at
every turn. At last he glared in at me.
Wherever d'you say you was a goin';"
! repeated the address / had given him at
starting. distinctly and with emphasis.
He went on more reckleSsly than ever,
nearly overturned an omnibus or two.
barely cleared the cabs he met. turned
round his own numbering vehicle and
drove back on his path, with no motive
whatever. and behaved 50 like mad
man generally. that was almost fright
ened to death. Then he glared in at the
window again, like tiend, and howled:
"Whever lid YOU say YOU was goin':"
Again | told him. very distinctly in
deed: and again he whirled on. up and
down. back and forth. round and round.
until. after a peril0u- interval, he shouted
a third time in at the window: why
don't YOU tell me where you re a goin':'
IL have told yoU three times already
that am going to Garlants hotel. Suf-
folk street. Pail Mall, answered, land
tell YOU now TO stop this cab, for want
10 speax to pol olreman.
This word If terror must have galvan-
lied his drunk senses into life for a
moment. for ne lashed his horses Savagely,
and tore on through the gathering dusk,
until he brol sht up in Suffolk street,
half way up the street, at the head Of
which is Garlant hotel. Then he stopped,
tumblel down somehow. and opened the
cab door. Drive 10 the hotel at the
top. said. with all the dignity which
madness of terror had left at my disposal.
Il shant 60 no farther, said my man,
ian if you keep me stannin ere
you've got TO pay for the time"
II have paid you siXpence more than
your fare already. said beginning TO
get out. which seemed TO me the wisest
thing could dounder the circumstances.
'Iou amt paid me single penny" he
bawled. his drunken memory as to that
little financial transaction having entirely
failed him. l got 10y him somehow, |
hardly know how. and hurried on to the
hotel. pursued by his cries Of You amt
paid me. | should think you'd he
hashamed ter live. You amt paid me
single penny.
NV other drunken cabman. now /
think If it. / encountered before the sea-
son was over, at jubilee time, and he
had had too many tips, no doubt, from
pleasure seekers. At least he was good
natured. had been TO the theatre with
two ladies. They saw me into four
wheeler and went ON their own WV.
and then came my perilous transit. Why
don't the Salvation Army or the blue
ribbon people "go for" the cabmen and
convert them. for the benefit Of the rest
Of US: On this particular evening my
man drove me as surely never woman
was driven in a four wheeler before. He
lashed his horse irto frenzy. He
shouted and yelled as he drove. and
everything got out of our way, as if we
were steam engine. We got 10 Lang
ham street in safety, however, and some
how the man pulled up his horse and got
himself out and opened the door. He
was very amiable in his cups, and seemed
to wish to leave on my mind good inn
preston.
"Sphose YOU was frightened fraid
you was. marm:" Il should think so. - I
said Il never expected to get here
alive, IL sphoSe 50. marm. but you see
this 'oss is an old racer, and when e gets
a goin e thinks e's a racin. and nobody
can't stop i'm. But e don mean any
arm, not a bit. Louise Chandler
Moulton's London Letter in Boston
Herald.